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What does "20 years of experience" really mean?
There have been several times I have found myself reading a photographers profile, and they say they have 20 years of experience in photography. Then I look at their ports, and they don't even know how to expose photos, use or break compositional rules, or do any kind of 'experienced' lighting whatsoever. I have a background in photography, was a photo major in collage, but stopped doing photography for several years. I could say I have 14 years of experience in photography. However, I feel to do that would be misleading. Basically, even with my intermittant experience on the other side of the lens, I have seen people who claim 20 or more years of experience, and their photos look well...not very experienced. Jul 25 05 11:52 pm Link Jefro, from the Beverly Hillbillies claimed he was very educated. Yes, in a way. But he had a six grade education. Jul 25 05 11:54 pm Link A picture really is worth a thousand words. Jul 25 05 11:54 pm Link Dang im glad you wernt talkin about the Guys with over 40 years experience.. Ya i agree those guys with only 20 years are real bad!! I could say hey i just picked up my first camera 3 months ago.. Really get a rise outa ya!! (:------ Jul 26 05 12:07 am Link Well, to me, "20 years of experience" means they've had more experiences misplacing their lens cap than I have. Jul 26 05 12:12 am Link Hugh, for three months of experience, I would say you are having a mid-life prodigy moment. better ride that wave. lol. Jul 26 05 12:12 am Link Posted by Hugh Jorgen: Hugh, I see that you like to stand on furniture ... just like me! Jul 26 05 12:24 am Link One of the nice things about photography is that regardless of chronological experience, our 'credential' are easily visible, just by looking at our work. Jul 26 05 12:41 am Link Posted by Patrick Walberg: Posted by Hugh Jorgen: Hugh, I see that you like to stand on furniture ... just like me! And I hope when I get old I don't sit around thinking about it Jul 26 05 12:43 am Link I have 20 years of expereince. Not telling in what, though. Jul 26 05 02:33 am Link My profile used to say "I'm not here to bs anyone, I've been shooting since Aug 2004", but decided to let the photos talk instead. Proof is in the pudding Jul 26 05 02:43 am Link Posted by Glamour Studio /Gary: Posted by Patrick Walberg: Posted by Hugh Jorgen: Hugh, I see that you like to stand on furniture ... just like me! And I hope when I get old I don't sit around thinking about it Nooooo!! Jul 26 05 02:44 am Link Posted by Hugh Jorgen: Nice profile Hugh, you may want to change the size of the door you talk about on your profile... I guess I'm also confused about the "we" part on your portfolio, does that mean you own or work for a photo studio or does it reference the 12 people featured on your site to combine the years of experience? Jul 26 05 02:53 am Link Posted by CThomson: Posted by Hugh Jorgen: Nice profile Hugh, you may want to change the size of the door you talk about on your profile... I guess I'm also confused about the "we" part on your portfolio, does that mean you own or work for a photo studio or does it reference the 12 people featured on your site to combine the years of experience? Very observing! There could be a mistake on the door size. Hmmm ... 10 inches? Now what could Hugh be thinking about? Jul 26 05 03:41 am Link Ok fixed it!! (:----- We is a team Dreampretty is my MUA and Model and Photographer.. I am just a Hillbilly with an outhouse..and a whole lotta cute girlfriends.. (:--- Jul 26 05 03:53 am Link Posted by Lapis: I'm glad some people are starting to open thier eyes. Experience means shit. Jul 26 05 04:28 am Link It's more do you make a living at this...no this is not a part-time or sideline job...even the word job is not a term I use. So it's more than 20yrs of experience that I put into a lifestyle I enjoy.....I don't work in photography, but I get to play and get paid at the same time. Experience is not a timeline for me, for each day is a learning experience...there is always something new just steps in front of you.....so do you keep learning or think you know it all. Jul 26 05 04:35 am Link Posted by Alex Alexander: Yes, and that type of thinking signifies that you are actually an artist...and therefore do indeed have 20 years of experience. I guess what I am saying is, do these guys really suck so much after 20 years, or are they people who spend little time thinking art, but pick up the camera a few times in 20 years. Your art shows you are learning something. I look at your portfolio and believe you have been doing this for 20 years. Sorry, your years count. lol Jul 26 05 04:42 am Link Some folks have one year of experience 20 times. Paul Jul 26 05 05:36 am Link Posted by * Visual Mindscapes *: Posted by Lapis: There have been several times I have found myself reading a photographers profile, and they say they have 20 years of experience in photography. Then I look at their ports, and they don't even know how to expose photos, use or break compositional rules, or do any kind of 'experienced' lighting whatsoever. I'm glad some people are starting to open thier eyes. Experience means shit. try an experiment joey..put away your digital camera and see if you can create the same images with a film camera...if you cant ..thats where experience comes in, some magazines i deal with are still requiring medium format chromes..no manipulation allowed...i count on my experience a great deal..there are some guys that would be lost..if they couldn't chimp.. Jul 26 05 06:00 am Link Posted by Paul Ferrara: Good one Paul. Jul 26 05 12:57 pm Link Posted by Doug Swinskey: Posted by * Visual Mindscapes *: Posted by Lapis: There have been several times I have found myself reading a photographers profile, and they say they have 20 years of experience in photography. Then I look at their ports, and they don't even know how to expose photos, use or break compositional rules, or do any kind of 'experienced' lighting whatsoever. I'm glad some people are starting to open thier eyes. Experience means shit. try an experiment joey..put away your digital camera and see if you can create the same images with a film camera...if you cant ..thats where experience comes in, some magazines i deal with are still requiring medium format chromes..no manipulation allowed...i count on my experience a great deal..there are some guys that would be lost..if they couldn't chimp.. I shot film from 1957 -2000 Jul 26 05 01:27 pm Link Posted by Hugh Jorgen: Hugh, you shouldn't have been snorting that stuff! Jul 26 05 01:42 pm Link Posted by Doug Swinskey: Posted by * Visual Mindscapes *: try an experiment joey..put away your digital camera and see if you can create the same images with a film camera...if you cant ..thats where experience comes in...there are some guys that would be lost..if they couldn't chimp.. Film does not mean experience. Can you make a great tintype? How about a photogravure? They're just different ways of recording an image. Jul 26 05 01:50 pm Link Posted by Brian Diaz: Posted by Doug Swinskey: Posted by * Visual Mindscapes *: try an experiment joey..put away your digital camera and see if you can create the same images with a film camera...if you cant ..thats where experience comes in...there are some guys that would be lost..if they couldn't chimp.. Film does not mean experience. nope, but without that experience, you wouldn't have any confidence you got the shot...i dont know how many photographers i have watched set thier lights by snapping off digital images..they dont even know how to use a light meter.. Jul 26 05 02:01 pm Link After shooting film for many years you just know what the exposures are.. Or at least i do... no light meter needed..never used one!! Even with Strobes!! Any of the old timers agree? Jul 26 05 02:10 pm Link Ok Xtreme you jinxin me!!...lol Jul 26 05 02:12 pm Link Posted by Doug Swinskey: Well, it also takes experience to know how to read a histogram properly. Why learn equipment that you don't need? To exaggerate what I'm saying, a light meter is as useful to me as whatever it takes to make a tintype. No matter what tools you're using, you have to know what you're doing. that only comes with experience..do you need experience to create a good image..nope, that not what im saying..what i am saying is there is no substitue for experience..when you got to get the shot..ever shoot a wedding..try doing that without experience..and not get sued.. I absolutely agree that there is no substitute for experience What Joey's saying (and what I agree with) is that the number of years is meaningless; the quality of the portfolio is important. As you say, it doesn't take experience to create a good image, but experience alone can't make a good portfolio. Jul 26 05 02:32 pm Link Perhaps the problem here is semantic. "Experience" as used by the original poster is nothing more than a bullet on a resume. Saying "20 years of experience" is meaningless when it's backed up by a crappy portfolio. Doug, your use of "experience" is one that connotes the valuable quality that comes from combining practice, knowledge, and wisdom. And maybe talent, but that can often be faked.  Jul 26 05 02:36 pm Link I'm not sure what 20 years experience means. I think that digital photography has put another rung on the ladder, a ladder where guys like myself can come in with no experience and in 2 years be creating stuff that's applicable to our generation. For me photography is not about impressing the masses. For me, photography is about attracting the attention of the people and organizations that I have interest in. 20 years of experience means squat, the game has changed in just the last 5 years. 20 years in any line of work without adapting to change will leave you looking like all the dudes that have 20 years of experience and not a lot of good work to show for it. Jul 26 05 02:41 pm Link But what good does saying "I have 20 years of experience" if you own personal attitude and ego stand in the way of providing what customers want first......SERVICE.....they will forgive if your exposure is not quite right as long as you have provided them "service" first. Jul 26 05 02:48 pm Link Posted by Hugh Jorgen: Yep, I don't have one! Bought a spot meter once ... it got stolen. Oh sure, when I first started out in photography 20 years ago ... sometimes I'd borrow a meter or use the meter in the camera. Jul 26 05 03:05 pm Link Posted by NWDigphoto: Really? Try giving a new bride pictures of her wedding overexposed see how far being a good guy will get you. I don't shoot weddings, but I've seen enough sh*t images from them from a so-called 20 year vet. Never once have I heard the bride say; man my pictures suck, but the photographer - he sure was a nice guy, and you can't beat his service, he handed us our cd at the reception.* Jul 26 05 03:06 pm Link Look at the shots and decide for yourself...20 years of experience will show itself up in the finished product... Jul 26 05 04:01 pm Link Na! 20 years experience - at survival! Jul 26 05 04:04 pm Link Posted by Doug Lester: This is very true. Jul 26 05 05:27 pm Link Posted by Doug Swinskey: Posted by * Visual Mindscapes *: Posted by Lapis: There have been several times I have found myself reading a photographers profile, and they say they have 20 years of experience in photography. Then I look at their ports, and they don't even know how to expose photos, use or break compositional rules, or do any kind of 'experienced' lighting whatsoever. I'm glad some people are starting to open thier eyes. Experience means shit. try an experiment joey..put away your digital camera and see if you can create the same images with a film camera...if you cant ..thats where experience comes in, some magazines i deal with are still requiring medium format chromes..no manipulation allowed...i count on my experience a great deal..there are some guys that would be lost..if they couldn't chimp.. I agree if you have 20 years experience then you should have some serious collection of Chromes to show off. Jul 26 05 05:28 pm Link Just tell the truth and show your work. Photography is a practice, just like a Dr. or Lawyer. Good luck. Mark Jul 26 05 05:29 pm Link Nothing.......... a photographer`s work speaks for itself, 20 years, 10 years, 5 years........... I saw a guy on here who said he had 40 years experience, (dammm since 1964 wow!) hummmm was`nt impressed with it really, it`s all how you present yourself and how hard you work at it.......I know photog`s who have been working less than 2 years and they blow some oldtimer`s away, it`s all how you show it off, and by hard work, trial and errors...... And school, well only the Leica Schule in Wetzlar, Germany is worth wasting time on, photography is something your BORN with you can only LEARN more with time, but you can`t LEARN to be a photographer, that`s silly Jul 26 05 06:19 pm Link either someone sucks or they do not suck..... experience aside Jul 26 05 06:41 pm Link |
